With Jensen Huang facing the prospect of losing his position as CEO of Nvidia, Elon Musk has publicly extended an olive branch. The head of Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI stated that he would be honored to recruit the leader of the American semiconductor giant, currently weakened by revelations concerning two extramarital affairs, one with a woman suspected of spying for China. This stance comes as Nvidia's board of directors considers the future of its founder, who has led the company since 1993.
"It would be an honor": Elon Musk extends an olive branch to the head of Nvidia
It all started with a message posted on X by the financial account ZeroHedge. As reports about Jensen Huang's possible dismissal multiplied, this account directly addressed Elon Musk : "Elon, please hire Jensen."
The American billionaire's response was immediate and unambiguous: "It would be an honor."
In a few words, Elon Musk publicly expressed his interest in a potential collaboration with Jensen Huang. His statement quickly garnered attention, as the Nvidia CEO is going through the most serious crisis of his career.
Tesla 's CEO did not specify which company he might hire Jensen Huang at, nor what role he would consider for him. No official recruitment has been announced, and there is no indication that the two men have engaged in discussions on the matter.
This is not the first time Elon Musk has shown his support for Jensen Huang. On Sunday, after the initial revelations, he endorsed a message defending the executive's essential role in the American artificial intelligence industry.
Nvidia is considering firing Jensen Huang after the discovery of his two affairs.
This statement follows revelations concerning the possible removal of Jensen Huang from the leadership of Nvidia, following the discovery of two mistresses, one of whom is suspected of spying for China.
Nvidia's board of directors was scheduled to meet Wednesday to discuss the future of its 63-year-old CEO. According to reports in the American press, his dismissal is among the options being considered by the board.
This crisis began with the revelation of a relationship between Jensen Huang and Alice Huang, a businesswoman linked to Megaspeed International, a Singaporean company specializing in IT infrastructure.
US intelligence services suspect Alice Huang of having ties with Chinese intelligence services and of having participated in operations allowing Chinese companies to access US technologies subject to export restrictions.
These suspicions have sent shockwaves through the United States , where Nvidia holds a strategic position in the development of artificial intelligence. China rejects the espionage accusations, and no public evidence establishes that Jensen Huang knowingly transmitted confidential information to Beijing.
A second mistress within Nvidia worsens the situation
Jensen Huang's troubles worsened on Wednesday with new revelations concerning a second alleged extramarital affair.
The Nvidia CEO is also alleged to have had an affair with Kimberly Powell, the company's vice president in charge of the healthcare sector. This executive has worked for the group for several years and reports directly to Jensen Huang.
This new case raises questions about hierarchical relationships and internal rules applicable to company executives. The alleged relationship with Kimberly Powell has not, however, been publicly confirmed by either party.
On Sunday, Jensen Huang had already admitted his infidelity in a message to Nvidia employees.
"I was unfaithful to my wife. My actions hurt her and our children. There is no excuse for what I did. I am deeply sorry," he said.
The board of directors then announced the opening of an independent investigation into suspicions of foreign interference, while officially reaffirming its confidence in its chief executive.
The revelations concerning Kimberly Powell have since led the administrators to reconsider her continued leadership of the group.
Elon Musk and Jensen Huang, two men linked by their ambitions in artificial intelligence
Elon Musk's proposal is not aimed at a stranger. The two leaders have known each other for many years and maintain significant business relations.
Tesla notably uses Nvidia processors to train its artificial intelligence systems for autonomous driving and robotics. The automaker is also developing its own electronic components for certain applications.
SpaceX also works with Nvidia on its computing infrastructure. Elon Musk has specifically mentioned using the American manufacturer's technologies for its space-based data center projects.
The billionaire had already publicly expressed his admiration for Jensen Huang.
"I am a huge admirer of Nvidia and Jensen. This market capitalization is fully deserved. SpaceX AI and Tesla plan to continue ordering Nvidia chips on a large scale," he wrote on X last March.
More recently, Elon Musk also paid tribute to his counterpart, stating: "Old friends are the best friends. Jensen is great."
These business relationships explain why a potential departure of Jensen Huang would be a closely watched event for companies in the technology sector. Tesla and SpaceX are among the companies that rely on the computing power developed by Nvidia for their artificial intelligence projects.
The possible dismissal of Jensen Huang sends Nvidia's stock price plummeting.
The announcement of a board meeting dedicated to the future of Jensen Huang provoked a strong reaction from the financial markets.
On Wednesday, after the close of trading on Wall Street , Nvidia's stock fell by more than 8% in electronic trading. Since the announcement of the internal investigation, the company's market capitalization has reportedly declined by approximately $600 billion, taking into account the losses recorded after the market close.
This drop reflects investors' concerns about the group's future without its long-standing leader.
Jensen Huang co-founded Nvidia in 1993, transforming the graphics card company into a global leader in artificial intelligence. Its processors now power the IT infrastructure of numerous technology companies, particularly those developing the most advanced AI models.
The billionaire owns approximately 3,6% of Nvidia's capital. His departure would represent a profound change for a company he has led for thirty-three years and for which no official successor has yet been named.
The board of directors has eleven members, ten of whom are considered independent. Nvidia's internal rules allow the directors to remove the CEO by a majority vote, with or without a specific reason.
No official decision has been made regarding the fate of Jensen Huang.
Despite reports concerning his possible dismissal, Jensen Huang officially remains CEO of Nvidia.
The group has not announced his dismissal nor presented a succession plan. The independent investigation into the espionage allegations continues, under the supervision of external administrators and legal counsel.
Nvidia stated that it has, at this stage, no evidence indicating that industrial secrets or sensitive information for US national security have been compromised.
The situation therefore remains contingent on the decisions of the board of directors. Jensen Huang could retain his position, be temporarily removed from his post, or be replaced if the directors decide to terminate his mandate.
Elon Musk, for his part, has already clearly expressed his position: if Jensen Huang were to leave Nvidia, he would be honored to welcome him among his collaborators.
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